Photographic processing apparatus

ABSTRACT

Photographic processing apparatus for distributing a liquid in contact with a photographic sheet; and particularly, apparatus including a pair of juxtaposed pressure members for distributing a liquid between a pair of superposed photographic sheets. The two pressure members have greatly differing sheet contacting configurations especially suited for their spreading functions.

United States Patent 2,435,720 2/1948 Land William K. Washburn Bedlord, Mass. 687,183

Dec. 1, 1967 J une 8, 197 l Polaroid Corporation Cambridge, Mass.

PHOTOGRAPHIC PROCESSING APPARATUS 2 Claims, 8 Drawing Figs.

US. Cl.-....

inventor Appl. No. Filed Patented Assignee Int. Cl Field of Search...

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,483,014 9/1949 Landetai 95/13 2,722,87! 11/1955 Whittier.... 95/s9x 2,834,269 5/1958 Land 95/13 Primary Examiner-Samuel S. Matthews Assistant ExaminerFred L. Braun Attorneys-Brown and Mikulka, William D. Roberson and Leonard S. Selman ABSTRACT: Photographic processing apparatus for distributing a liquid in contact with a photographic sheet; and particularly, apparatus including a pair of juxtaposed pressure members for distributing a liquid between a pair of superposed photographic sheets. The two pressure members have greatly differing sheet contacting configurations especially suited for their spreading functions.

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m ATTORNEYS PHOTOGRAPHIC PROCESSING APPARATUS Cross Reference to Related Applications The processing apparatus of the present invention is related to the subject matter disclosed in copending applications Ser. No. 655,831 filed July 25, I967, now US. Pat. No. 3,485,155; Ser. No. 655,832 filed July 25, I967, now U.S. Pat. No. 3,499,373; Ser. No. 655,833 filed July 25, I967, now U.S. Pat. No. 3,496,850; Ser. No. 655,834 filed July 25, 1967, now U.S. Pat. No. 3,452,66I; and Ser. No. 655,835 filed July 25, I967, now U.S. Pat. No. 3,498,l96, all assigned to the same assignee.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The present invention is directed to a device which may be incorporated in a self-developing camera wherein a photographic transfer image is produced by moving a pair of film sheets including an exposed negative photosensitive sheet and a superposed positive receiving sheet, between a pair of juxtaposed pressure-applying members for distributing a processing liquid or developer between and in contact with the sheets. The preferred embodiment of the invention as disclosed herein provides a narrow gap between a pair of springmounted sheet metal members through which the sheets are moved while the liquid introduced between the sheets is uniformly spread between and in contact with the entire facing surfaces of the sheets in a direction opposite the movement of the sheets relative to the pressure applying sheet metal members.

The present invention is directed to the configuration of the sheet contacting surfaces of the spreader members on either side of the gap. The configuration of each sheet contacting surface is particularly suited to carry out a specific function in the spreading process in conjunction with the sheet it contacts. One of the surfaces having a relatively small radius producing a rather sharp edge is admirably suited to rupture the pod and clean out the processing liquid therefrom while the other surface having a relatively large radius acts in conjunction with the flexible image-recording or negative sheet to provide a more uniform or even spread than has heretofore been obtainable. The pod is enclosed between a pair of thin layers in advance of the thicker and stiffer image-receiving or positive sheet. Thus the sharper radius contacting member initially ruptures the pod, cleans it out and advances the liquid until it enters between the flexible negative and stiff positive sheets. At this point the sharp radius becomes ineffective since it contacts the back of the stiff positive sheet and the larger radius member is switched on" to spread the processing liquid in a much improved manner in conjunction with the flexible negative sheet.

Accordingly, it is an object of this invention to provide an improved spreading device capable of being mounted on photographic apparatus, such as a camera in position to spread a processing liquid in a uniform layer of predetermined thickness between a thin flexible negative photographic sheet and a thicker stiff positive photographic sheet.

It is another object of this invention to provide an improved spreading device wherein the sheet contacting surfaces of the spreader members contacting the positive and negative sheets have configuration specially suited to the separate function of rupturing and cleaning out a fluid containing pod and spreading the liquid between the positive and negative sheets, respectively.

Other objects of the invention will in part be obvious and will in part appear hereinafter.

The invention accordingly comprises the apparatus possessing the construction, combination of elements and arrangement of parts which are exemplified in the following detailed disclosure, and the scope of the application of which will be indicated in the claims.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS FIG. I is a side elevational view of a camera having mounted within and shown in cross section, the apparatus embodying the preferred embodiment of the invention including the spring-mounted sheet metal spreader members having a gap therebetween through which the photographic sheets may be drawn;

FIG. 2 is a perspective view of the processing apparatus shown removed from a camera;

FIG. 3 is a front view of the apparatus showing the gap between the spreader members;

FIG. 4 is an enlarged fragmentary cross-sectional view along lines 4-4 of FIG. 2 with the photographic sheet material removed showing the configuration of the sheet contacting surfaces on the spreader members in detail; and

FIGS. 58, inclusive, are sequential fragmentary cross-sectional views as shown in FIG. 4 but showing the travel of the photographic sheets between the spreader members.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT The spreading apparatus of the present invention, as described in the aforesaid related application, has many inherent advantages. It is removable from the camera, easy to clean, repair or replace, and economical to manufacture. This invention is particularly directed, however, to the spreading function and in particular to the configuration of the sheet contacting surfaces, which most affect the performance of the spreader. The following description in conjunction with the drawings besides describing the spreader structure in detail attempts to illustrate how well the apparatus performs during an actual spreading operation.

FIG. I shows the spreader apparatus 10 mounted in operable position inside a photographic camera. The film sheets as shown in FIG. 1 are in processing position ready to be removed from the camera. US. Pat. No. 2,991,702 shows a plurality of such film sheets stacked in a film pack as they are used in many of the present day self-developing cameras. In picture-taking position, the negative sheet 12 with its photosensitive surface faces the open front of the film pack and the taking lens and then is pulled around and on top of the positive sheet 14 by tab 16 as shown in FIGS. 1 and 2 in superposed position ready for processing. Tab 16 pulls the leader 18 through the gap between the spreader members 20 and 22 which are supported and biased toward one another by spring members 24 and 26. The leader 18 is then manually grasped and the photographic material including the negative sheet 12 and the positive sheet 14 and the processing-liquid containing pod 28 is pulled through the gap whereby the pod is broken and the processing liquid 30 is uniformly spread between the positive and negative sheets.

FIG. 2 is a detailed view of the processing apparatus removed from the camera. FIG. 3 is a front view of the processing apparatus showing a pair of raised portions 32 and 34 formed in one of the spreader members near the ends of the sheet contacting surface portion to pregap said portions apart so that the leader 18 may be manually pulled through the gaps by tab 16. FIGS. 2, 3 and 4 also illustrate features of the spreader which are the subject of the aforementioned applications, including the spring separating means 36, the spring retaining means 38, the platform relief 40 and the edge control means 42.

FIG. 4 is an enlarged fragmentary view showing the sheet contacting surfaces 44 and 46 of the spreader members in cross section. As illustrated, the two sheet contacting surfaces are dissimilar in that one has quite a sharp radius while the other has a much larger radius. As referred to earlier, the sharp radius 44 is suited to contact the thin paper sheet or apron 48 over the pod, as shown in FIG. 5, and rupture the pod as it is pulled through the gap between the spreader members and due to its sharp configuration very thoroughly clean out the pod as the film is advanced. The larger radius 46, on the other hand, is relatively ineffective during this first portion of the spreading operation, but is then "switched on" as the thicker stiff positive sheet passes over the sharp radius surface 44 whereby the larger radius surface 46 in cooperation with the thin flexible negative 12 serves to uniformly spread the liquid 30 between the positive and negative sheets as the film is advanced further.

it has been determined that the actual differences in radius size of the positive and negative sheet contacting surfaces produces the greatly improved performance of the present spreader. Prior art devices, including those discovered in the aforementioned related applications, failed to see the great significance that the relative size of these surfaces have in relation to the flexibility of the sheets they contact and the different spreading functions they perform. Although certain prior art devices, some of them utilizing rollers which differ in concept from the static spreaders of the present invention, appear in their drawings at least to have somewhat different configurations on their sheet contacting surfaces, none are specific as to actual relative sizes, nor do they teach the importance of these configurations in the performance of the spreading function as discovered and disclosed as part of the present invention.

The preferred embodiment of the invention has a positive sheet contacting surface with a small relatively sharp radius and a larger radius on the negative contacting surface on the order of five to eight times as large as the smaller radius. While certain other factors such as the load on the springs urging the spreader members together (3 lbs. per side in the preferred embodiment) may affect performance, the range given has been found to be most satisfactory under practical spring loads. lf the spring load becomes too great an excess amount of force is required to manually draw the film through the gap. The film illustrated in the drawings and used in the cameras embodying the present spreader apparatus is Polaroid Land Film 108 color film manufactured by Polaroid Corporation, Cambridge, Mass, and which include the thinner flexible negative and the thicker stiff positive sheet as shown.

An example of a specific embodiment of the invention as described above which gives very satisfactory results has a positive sheet contacting surface of 0.030 inch and a negative sheet contacting surface of 0.200 inch and a spring load of 3 lbs. per side.

FIGS. 5-8 show the step by step travel of the composite film material between the sheet contacting surfaces 44 and 46 of the spreader members and 22. In FIG. 5 the small radius positive sheet contacting surface 44 is seen during the first stage of the spreading operation squeezing the processing liquid from the front end of the pod 28 causing the pod to rupture and escape between the two paper sheets 50 and 52. in FIG. 6 the effect of the sharp radius on the sheet contacting surface is seen in the complete flattening out of the pod and the cleaning out of the liquid therefrom. FIG. 7 shows the liquid 30 about to enter between the relatively thick stiff positive sheet 14 and the thinner flexible negative sheet 12. Finally, FIG. 8 shows the sharper radius surface 44 being rendered largely ineffective due to the insulating effect of the thicker positive sheet with the larger radius sheet contacting surface switched on" completes the spreading operation in conjunction with the flexible sheet.

Thus the spreading apparatus of the present invention provides in one simple structure means for automatically switching on and off the most effective and efficient sheet contacting surfaces during the various phases of the spreading operation.

Since certain changes may be made in the above device without departing from the scope of the invention herein involved, it is intended that all matter contained in the above description or shown in the accompanying drawings shall be interpreted as illustrative and not in a limiting sense.

lclaim:

l. A photographic system including:

a film unit comprising a first relatively flexible sheet including a photosensitive element, a second relatively stiff sheet comprising an image-receiving element, said first and second sheets adapted to be positioned in overlaying relationship with said photosensitive element disposed in operative relationship with said image-receiving element, a rupturable pod of processing fluid, and relatively flexible means for attaching said pod to said first or second sheet to be positioned in advance of said image-receiving element when said elements are disposed in said operative relationship and for introducing said fluid between said first and second sheets upon rupture of said pod and when at least the leading portions of said first and second sheets are disposed in superposed relationship;

first and second substantially rigid nonrolling members having adjacent portions juxtaposed to form a narrow gap through which said film unit is movable with said pod passing through said gap in advance of said image-receiving element and a pair of facing surfaces converging toward each other to define a narrow throat to guide said film unit toward said gap, a contacting surface on said first member adapted to engage said second sheet exhibiting to the narrowest portion of said gap a sharply reduced radius of curvature to restrict the area thereof which bears on said film unit and a contacting surface on said second member adapted to engage said first sheet exhibiting to the narrowest portion of said gap a relatively large radius of curvature on the order of five to eight times as large as said sharply reduced radius; and

means for resiliently urging said members toward each other at least when force is exerted by said film unit against said members as it passes through said gap tending to increase the size of said gap whereby said first member is effective to rupture said pod and to clean out therefrom said processing fluid in a first stage of the movement of said film unit through said narrow gap during which that portion of said film unit in advance of said relatively stiff sheet passes between said members and said second member is effective to uniformly spread said processing fluid between said first and second sheets of said film unit during a second stage of the movement of said film unit through said narrow gap during which said second sheet of said film unit passes between said members with said small radius contacting surface of said first member being rendered largely ineffective at such time by the insulating effect of said relatively stiff sheet.

2. Photographic apparatus for processing a film unit comprising a first relatively flexible sheet including a photosensitive element, a second relatively stiff sheet comprising an image-receiving element, such first and second sheets adapted to be positioned in overlaying relationship with such photosensitive element disposed in operative relationship with such image-receiving element, a rupturable pod of processing fluid, and relatively flexible means for attaching such pod to such first or second sheet to be positioned in advance of such image-receiving element when such elements are disposed in such operative relationship and for introducing such fluid between such first and second sheets upon rupture of such pod, and when at least the leading portions of such first and second sheets are disposed in superposed relationship, comprising:

first and second substantially rigid nonrolling members having adjacent portions juxtaposed to form a narrow gap through which such film unit is movable with such pod passing through said gap in advance of such image-receiving element and a pair of facing surfaces converging toward each other to define a narrow throat to guide such film unit toward said gap, a contacting surface on said first member adapted to engage such second sheet exhibiting to the narrowest portion of said gap a sharply reduced radius of curvature to restrict the area thereof which bears on such film unit and a contacting surface on said second member adapted to engage such first sheet exhibiting to the narrowest portion of said gap a relatively large radius of curvature on the order of five to eight times as large as said sharply reduced radius; and

means for resiliently urging said members toward each other at least when force is exerted by such film unit against said members as it passes through said gap tending to increase the size of said gap whereby said first member is effective to rupture said pod and to clean out therefrom such processing fluid in a first stage of the movement of said film unit through said narrow gap during which that portion of such film unit in advance of such relatively stiff sheet passes between said members and said second I0 

1. A photographic system including: a film unit comprising a first relatively flexible sheet including a photosensitive element, a second relatively stiff sheet comprising an image-receiving element, said first and second sheets adapted to be positioned in overlaying relationship with said photosensitive element disposed in operative relationship with said image-receiving element, a rupturable pod of processing fluid, and relatively flexible means for attaching said pod to said first or second sheet to be positioned in advance of said image-receiving element when said elements are disposed in said operative relationship and for introducing said fluid between said first and second sheets upon rupture of said pod and when at least the leading portions of said first and second sheets are disposed in superposed relationship; first and second substantially rigid nonrolling members having adjacent portions juxtaposed to form a narrow gap through which said film unit is movable with said pod passing through said gap in advance of said image-receiving element and a pair of facing surfaces converging toward each other to define a narrow throat to guide said film unit toward said gap, a contacting surface on said first member adapted to engage said second sheet exhibiting to the narrowest portion of said gap a sharply reduced radius of curvature to restrict the area thereof which bears on said film unit and a contacting surface on said second member adapted to engage said first sheet exhibiting to the narrowest portion of said gap a relatively large radius of curvature on the order of five to eight times as large as said sharply reduced radius; and means for resiliently urging said members toward each other at least when force is exerted by said film unit against said members as it passes through said gap tending to increase the size of said gap whereby said first member is effective to rupture said pod and to clean out therefrom said processing fluid in a first stage of the movement of said film unit through said narrow gap during which that portion of said film unit in advance of said relatively stiff sheet passes between said members and said second member is effective to uniformly spread said processing fluid between said first and second sheets of said film unit during a second stage of the movement of said film unit through said narrow gap during which said second sheet of said film unit passes between said members with said small radius contacting surface of said first member being rendered largely ineffective at such time by the insulating effect of said relatively stiff sheet.
 2. Photographic apparatus for processing a film unit comprising a first relatively flexible sheet including a photosensitive element, a second relatively stiff sheet comprising an image-receiving element, such first and second sheets adapted to be positioned in overlaying relationship with such photosensitive element disposed in operative relationship with such image-receiving element, a rupturable pod of processing fluid, and relatively flexible means for attaChing such pod to such first or second sheet to be positioned in advance of such image-receiving element when such elements are disposed in such operative relationship and for introducing such fluid between such first and second sheets upon rupture of such pod and when at least the leading portions of such first and second sheets are disposed in superposed relationship, comprising: first and second substantially rigid nonrolling members having adjacent portions juxtaposed to form a narrow gap through which such film unit is movable with such pod passing through said gap in advance of such image-receiving element and a pair of facing surfaces converging toward each other to define a narrow throat to guide such film unit toward said gap, a contacting surface on said first member adapted to engage such second sheet exhibiting to the narrowest portion of said gap a sharply reduced radius of curvature to restrict the area thereof which bears on such film unit and a contacting surface on said second member adapted to engage such first sheet exhibiting to the narrowest portion of said gap a relatively large radius of curvature on the order of five to eight times as large as said sharply reduced radius; and means for resiliently urging said members toward each other at least when force is exerted by such film unit against said members as it passes through said gap tending to increase the size of said gap whereby said first member is effective to rupture said pod and to clean out therefrom such processing fluid in a first stage of the movement of said film unit through said narrow gap during which that portion of such film unit in advance of such relatively stiff sheet passes between said members and said second member is effective to uniformly spread such processing fluid between such first and second sheets of such film unit during a second stage of the movement of such film unit through said narrow gap during which such second sheet of such film unit passes between said members with said small radius contacting surface of said first member being rendered largely ineffective at such time by the insulating effect of such relatively stiff sheet. 